Cancer cell fusion represents a rare event. However, the surviving cancer hybrid cells after a post-hybrid selection process (PHSP) can overgrow other cancer cells by exhibiting a proliferation advantage and/or expression of cancer stem-like properties. Addition of new tumor properties during hetero-fusion of cancer cells e.g. with mesenchymal stroma-/stem-like cells (MSC) contribute to enhanced tumor plasticity via acquisition of new/altered functionalities. This provides new avenues for tumor development and metastatic behavior. Consequently, the present review article will also address the question as to whether cancer cell fusion represents a general and possibly evolutionary-conserved program or rather a random process?

中文翻译：

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为什么某些癌细胞会改变功能并融合？

癌细胞融合是一种罕见的事件。然而，经过杂交后选择过程（PHSP）后存活的癌症杂交细胞可以通过表现出增殖优势和/或癌症干细胞样特性的表达而使其他癌细胞过度生长。在癌细胞与间充质基质/干细胞（MSC）异质融合过程中添加新的肿瘤特性有助于通过获得新的/改变的功能来增强肿瘤的可塑性。这为肿瘤的发展和转移行为提供了新的途径。因此，本综述文章还将解决这样的问题：癌细胞融合是否代表一个普遍的、可能进化保守的程序，或者更确切地说是一个随机过程？